Development of a narrative process model and research measure that addresses the contributions of narrative and emotion processes to effective psychotherapy. The role of autobiographical memory narratives to the etiology and treatment of depression.

Explores how the emotional state of an observer, and also the emotional significance of environmental information, influences the deployment of attention. Exploring the experience of boredom, and individual differences that impact on susceptibility to boredom. Focused on gaining a better understanding of basic psychological processes, as well as examining issues that relate more specifically to clinical psychology.

Research focuses on the coping and adaptation processes of individuals affected by life-threatening illness in general, and cancer specifically. A strong interest in intimate relationships and how couples adjust to illness, adversity, and loss. Employ qualitative methods in order to derive in-depth understanding of these experiences. These findings in turn inform the development of psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational interventions (individual, couple, group, and internet-based) intended to reduce distress and suffering associated with illness.

CBT for psychosis, EEG correlates of shyness and emotion perception in schizophrenia, smoking management and healthy lifestyles in schizophrenia, functional outcomes and 'recovery' in schizophrenia, development of a 'voices' questionnaire. Clinical assessment using personality and neuropsychological methods.

Psychotherapy process and outcome research with a particular focus on identifying processes of change and relating these to outcome. Empirically supporting experiential therapy with a special focus on the treatment of depression. The role of emotion in therapy and constructivism in the generation of meaning. The development of the principles of a dialectical-constructivist emotion-focused therapy for individuals and couples. Psychotherapy integration.

Clinical research focused on neuropsychological performance and functional outcome in schizophrenia. Interested in the use of neurocognitive data to enhance diagnostic validity, rehabilitation and the search for endophenotypes for the illness. Also has broader theoretical and historical interests in schizophrenia.

Psychological, emotional, and biomedical factors involved in acute and chronic pain with a particular emphasis on (1) understanding the psychological and physiological processes and mechanisms involved in the transition of acute, time-limited pain to chronic, pathological pain; (2) identifying factors involved in the establishment and reactivation of pain memories after amputation (phantom limb pain) and other traumatic events; (3) pre-emptive analgesia and other preventive pharmacological interventions designed to minimize acute post-operative pain and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in post-operative sensitization; (4) developing pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to minimize pain and stress in hospitalized infants; and (5) gender differences in acute post-operative pain and analgesic consumption.

Broad area of eating and its disorders from both a social/personality and a clinical psychology perspective. Factors that influence women to undertake or continue dieting, and psychological consequences of restrictive eating. Effects of exposure to thin media images on eating, mood and body image among female dieters and nondieters. Anxiety, perfectionism, possible selves, body image and social influences on eating.

Vulnerability to depression including the personality styles of dependency and self-criticism, and associated interpersonal behaviours. Transactional models of depression including the dynamics between vulnerable individuals and their social context. Resilience building in those vulnerable to depression is also a current focus.

Investigates the cognitive and neuropsychological processes associated with perceiving, remembering, and performing goal-directed naturalistic actions. Has a particular interest in the roles of attention and memory. Based on this understanding develops and evaluates methods of neuropsychological rehabilitation of brain-injured individuals.

Present research interests concern psychotherapy processes, emotional processing and the working alliance in particular, and the role they play in change during experiential treatment of depression. I am also exploring prototypical paths of emotional change that mark resolution of subtypes of depression, which would allow for more differential treatment of the disorder. A core interest in emotion processes in general, including nonverbal expressions of emotion, emotion regulation, interruption of emotional experience, and emotion typology. Other research interests are in the identification the client characteristics that reliably predict differential response to experiential psychotherapy.

Relationship Science: the integration of intrapsychic (cognitive) and interpersonal processes and how this natural integration can be used to facilitate therapeutic change. Applying complex systems theory to understand the functioning of individuals within relationships such as marriage/committed relationships, organizations and family. The role of psychology in understanding health issues.

Studies the organization of different types of memory in the brain using cognitive, neuropsychological, and functional neuroimaging methods. Patient and fMRI studies of recent and remote memory; hippocampal and cortical contributions to episodic, semantic, and spatial memory; representation of theory of mind and the self in prefrontal and temporoparietal cortex.

Analysis and evaluation of psychotherapy process; the differential effect of counsellor style of participation on client levels of perceptual processing; process evaluations of self-schema change; the role of culture in psychotherapy.

Application of structural models of personality (i.e., interpersonal circumplex and five-factor models of personality) to increasing understanding of mental, physical, and neuropsychological health processes and outcomes. How personality variables affect the physical and psychological problems to which one is most prone, how one copes with these problems, and how these variables affect outcomes. The role of social support processes and how these variables affect relationship satisfaction and the ability to establish and maintain satisfying relationships.

Individual and contextual determinants of engagement and disengagement in psychotherapy. Motivation for change and Motivational Interviewing as an adjunct to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or integrated with CBT in the management of anxiety disorders. How expectancies influence psychotherapy processes & outcomes. Relational predictors of help-seeking and detection of mood and anxiety disorders in primary care.

Cognitive and attention skills in children with autism, developmental disabilities and children who are deaf. Roles of metacognition (awareness of self) and language proficiency (e.g., English or signed systems) in the cognitive development of these groups. Early identification; assessment methods; intervention effectiveness.

The Teen Relationships Lab studies adolescents’ social development and psycho-social health. Dating and romantic relationships are the main focus right now. I am interested in normal development, atypical development and high-risk contexts. Current projects examine healthy relationships and resilience, conflict, break-ups, dating violence, teen mothers, and relationships of vulnerable youth.

The roles of trait perfectionism and perfectionistic self-presentation in personal adjustment, psychosocial functioning, and health problems. The associations among personality, coping, stress, and distress in adolescents, middleaged individuals, and the elderly.

LUCIA GAGLIESE(PhD McGill University)

The study of pain across the adult life span. Age differences in the mechanisms, assessment and treatment of postoperative and cancer pain and the role of psychosocial factors, such as distress, gender and cognitive impairment, in pain.

Child and adult survivors of abuse; effective models for the treatment of psychological trauma; understanding child and adult attachments to help guide appropriate interventions; the role of social support in recovery from abuse.

Feminist epistemology and historiography; history of women in psychology; diversity issues in psychology; history of behavioral psychology; B. F. Skinner's system in science and culture; history of clinical psychology and psychological practices; oral history methods; critical and cultural history.

History of child development and psychology, including the influence of eugenics and ideas of race. Normal and atypical development and the influence of evolutionary theory and biology on psychological models of development. Personality theory and its history. The conceptual and historical basis of classification and classificatory systems.

Social and emotional development in ages ranging from preschoolers to adults. Social development in the areas of advice-seeking and consultant preferences, social support provision, and social relations with parents and peers. New scales tapping perceptions of reciprocity in relations with parents, spouses and coworkers are being examined for their clinical relevance. Emotional development in the relationship between emotion, cognition and emotion regulation.